Devils team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - offseason part III

[JimEIV]

There is no room for Sporng not on the roster or in cap space.

Do we even have the cap space this year to realistically do that?

Nope.

 

[Hisch13r]

Do we even have the cap space this year to realistically do that?

Dump Nate and you could get like a 5.25x7

 

[megajake]

That's the thing, they don't have the cap space do that. That's really the only reason for this conversation is that they don't have the cap space to do much of anything right now.

Do we even have the cap space this year to realistically do that?

If we dump Bastian+ send Desimmone to the AHL, I think we could.

 

[DevilsHughes86]

Sprong’s f***ing awesome. I was banging the drum hard on him last summer. I don’t think we have the space to sign him now. If you can fit him then it’s a no brainer

I liked his play, especially 2 seasons ago in Seattle. Healthy, I think he would produce like crazy if given a shot on the top 6. Good skater, just needs to learn the 200 foot game

 

[Nubmer6]

Just sign Mercer for 7 years and hope he breaks out

I think after the season Mercer had, a bridge deal is probably preferred by both sides. Mercer will want to prove himself, and the Devils will want assurances that last year was fluke.

I'm thinking 3 years because that lines up with end of the Palat deal (presuming we don't dump him or buy him out in his last season).

 

[Better Call Sal]

I think the best line Dawson played on was with Bratt and Johnsson. They were our best line in early 2021 until they broke it up because the other lines weren't producing.

Num	Time	%	Line	GF	GA	+/-	SF	SA	SF%	CF	CA	CF%

2

170:58

14.5

JESPER BRATT - ANDREAS JOHNSSON - DAWSON MERCER

15

8

7

128

79

61.8

207

172

54.6

1

269:27

23.6

TOMAS TATAR - NICO HISCHIER - DAWSON MERCER

23

10

13

181

122

59.7

299

232

56.3

They were both very good. Tatar-Nico-Mercer was together longer, so that maybe skews things somewhat, but that also speaks to how well the team was rolling.

And, of course, it was with that Tatar-Nico duo where Mercer had his 8-game goal streak occur.

 

[Hisch13r]

I liked his play, especially 2 seasons ago in Seattle. Healthy, I think he would produce like crazy if given a shot on the top 6. Good skater, just needs to learn the 200 foot game

I doubt the defense ever comes at this point but he creates so much offense it’s kind of whatever. I think you could toss him with Jack and Bratt and just give them free reign to go crazy as the other 3 lines would all be pretty responsible. Could also toss him into the bottom 6 and he’d still do his thing as that’s what he’s been doing. Unfortunately this is all irrelevant since we don’t really have the space

 

[My3Sons]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1810328231813271561

https://x.com/i/web/status/1810329228849586478

https://x.com/i/web/status/1810329067075338682

https://x.com/i/web/status/1810328878977569149

He's gonna be good for the team. No one can tell me otherwise. Whether it's production or in a leadership role, he's going to be a useful presence back here.

just so long as he doesn't try to bring some quartz abomination into the locker room.

 

[Rhodes 81]

If there were no such thing as injuries, I'm actually very comfortable with where the forward group is. It's injuries that will hurt it and that doesn't get fixed by guys like Sprong.

The best thing we could add at this point would be a top-6 quality LW on the cheap (so basically a guy on his ELC) or a 4C that is capable of playing a 3C role. Not a lot of either of those out there available now. An elite-level 4C is a classic deadline add for contenders so I'm comfortable going into the season like this.

 

[JimEIV]

I know it's only one year but given our cap situation, I think the Tatar contract was a mistake....how big of one is to be determined but $1.8 seems absurd to me.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

I know it's only one year but given our cap situation, I think the Tatar contract was a mistake....how big of one is to be determined but $1.8 seems absurd to me.

https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPT...ZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/WR3yCdV3HETXKeHiek/giphy.gif

 

[Cheddabombs]

If there were no such thing as injuries, I'm actually very comfortable with where the forward group is. It's injuries that will hurt it and that doesn't get fixed by guys like Sprong.

The best thing we could add at this point would be a top-6 quality LW on the cheap (so basically a guy on his ELC) or a 4C that is capable of playing a 3C role. Not a lot of either of those out there available now. An elite-level 4C is a classic deadline add for contenders so I'm comfortable going into the season like this.

Where's Gritsyuk when you need him

 

[JimEIV]

I think after the season Mercer had, a bridge deal is probably preferred by both sides. Mercer will want to prove himself, and the Devils will want assurances that last year was fluke.

I'm thinking 3 years because that lines up with end of the Palat deal (presuming we don't dump him or buy him out in his last season).

If I am Mercer's agent I'm not looking for him to prove anything...I want fair market value... nothing more or nothing less.

I am certainly not entertaining any discussion of "prove it"...not after, the team went from 291 goals for to 264 and Nico saw a 13 point drop, Jack saw a 25 point drop...and Dougie... Meier...ect..

Nope, I shut down that conversation of "prove it" real fast

 

[Rhodes 81]

I know it's only one year but given our cap situation, I think the Tatar contract was a mistake....how big of one is to be determined but $1.8 seems absurd to me.

It's 2% of the cap for someone who filled a top-6 role on this team 2 years ago. That's essentially in-line with what he was paid last year. It only seems absurd because you're not used to cap hits going up after the last few years.

That is a value contract if he plays in the middle six all year, and comparable with what many 4th liners got this offseason. Compare this to the cap hits MacDermid and Bastian have and the expected impact of those players vs. Tatar.

If I am Mercer's agent I'm not looking for him to prove anything...I want fair market value... nothing more or nothing less.

I am certainly not entertaining any discussion of "prove it"...not after, the team went from 291 goals for to 264 and Nico saw a 13 point drop, Jack saw a 25 point drop...and Dougie ect..

Nope, I shut down that conversation of "prove it" real fast

Mercer is coming off his ELC and has no Arb rights. His only leverage is the threat of an offer sheet (which GMs don't do) the threat of holding out (which players don't do), or giving up UFA years. If he's not doing any of those 3, he's not getting paid what you perceive to be "fair market value" because it is by definition not a fair market.

RFA negotiations are much closer to a legal proceeding than an open negotiation (UFA). I've participated in quite a few negotiations guided by legal proceedings and while both sides may use "arguments" to convey the numbers, both know those are just words thinly veiling an agreement of a number that both sides already worked out with math before exchanging any numbers.

 

[My3Sons]

If I am Mercer's agent I'm not looking for him to prove anything...I want fair market value... nothing more or nothing less.

I am certainly not entertaining any discussion of "prove it"...not after, the team went from 291 goals for to 264 and Nico saw a 13 point drop, Jack saw a 25 point drop...and Dougie ect..

Nope, I shut down that conversation of "prove it" real fast

I'm skeptical a team says anything like that to an agent. They'd probably just discuss what either side is looking at for term and then comparables. They both want to arrive at a mutual resolution. Hasn't Fitz already said publicly they want Mercer around for the long term?

 

[TheUnseenHand]

I know it's only one year but given our cap situation, I think the Tatar contract was a mistake....how big of one is to be determined but $1.8 seems absurd to me.

The MacDermid contract was absurd. The Tatar contract is fine.

 

[Bcap88]

Dawson averages roughly 43 points per season which in the open market probably gets him closer to 5 unfortunately for him he’s rfa so that number is likely closer to 4

 

[JimEIV]

I'm skeptical a team says anything like that to an agent. They'd probably just discuss what either side is looking at for term and then comparables. They both want to arrive at a mutual resolution. Hasn't Fitz already said publicly they want Mercer around for the long term?

I'm sure the team doesn't say anything like that during negotiations also.

 

[None Shall Pass]

The cap is fake so I don't know what you guys are arguing about

 

[Devilsfan118]

I know it's only one year but given our cap situation, I think the Tatar contract was a mistake....how big of one is to be determined but $1.8 seems absurd to me.

...........

1.8M. One year. Absurd might be a teensy tiny bit hyperbolic.

 

[Hisch13r]

The cap is fake so I don't know what you guys are arguing about

We’re currently in a position where we should be adding another forward but can’t because of the cap.

 

[Triumph]

I'd much rather add a forward at the deadline with one of the 2nd round picks than add Sprong.

 

[megajake]

With the signing of tatar, we have no room for another forward

 

[Edmonton East]

Mercer was objectively bad last year. Like the player and expect a bounce back, but he had opportunity and didn't perform. No way he should be getting close to $5m, unless it is a long term deal. IF IF IF they signed him 5+ years at a number $4-$5, the current cap situation wouldn't prevent them from doing that at all. They'd make the minor moves needed to make it work. Palat is gone after this season, so just need to move $1m this year.

A 2-3 year bridge should range from $3 to $4...and is the likely outcome though.

 

[JimEIV]

Mercer was objectively bad last year. Like the player and expect a bounce back, but he had opportunity and didn't perform. No way he should be getting close to $5m, unless it is a long term deal.

A 2-3 year bridge should range from $3 to $4.

That's what Shane Pinto just got and Mercer is a better player that has accomplished much , much more.